§ Mrs. Iris RobinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many nurses from overseas were working for the NHS in Northern Ireland on the latest date for which figures are available. [173742]
§ Angela SmithOverseas nurses are employed both within the private sector and the HPSS in Northern Ireland but information is only held in respect of HPSS employees. As at 31 March 2004, the total number of overseas nurses employed within health and social services trusts in Northern Ireland was 779. Figures are detailed by trust in the following table.
HSS1 trust Number Altnagelvin Group HSS Trust 30 Armagh and Dungannon HSS Trust 0 Belfast City Hospital HSS Trust 59 Causeway HSS Trust 14 Craigavon and Banbridge Community HSS Trust 0 Craigavon Area Hospital HSS Trust 50 Down Lisburn HSS Trust 55 Foyle Community HSS Trust 1 Greenpark Healthcare HSS Trust 67 Homefirst Community HSS Trust 20 Mater Infirmorum Hospital HSS Trust 54 Newry and Mourne HSS Trust 4 North and West Belfast HSS Trust 0 Royal Group of Hospitals HSS Trust 228 South and East Belfast HSS Trust 0 Sperrin Lakeland HSS Trust 38 Ulster Community and Hospitals Group HSS Trust 114 United Hospitals Group HSS Trust 45 Total 779 1 Health and Social Services.